NCT01014221

Acupuncture in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ~ A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 77 (actual)
• Sponsor: Kuang Tien General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture compared with steroid treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as measured by objective changes in nerve conduction studies (NCS) and subjective symptoms assessment in a randomized, controlled study.

Detailed description

A total of 77 consecutive and prospective CTS patients confirmed by NCS were enrolled in the study. Those who had fixed sensory complaint over the median nerve and thenar muscle atrophy were excluded. The CTS patients were randomly divided into 2 treatment arms: (1) 2 weeks of prednisolone 20 mg daily followed by 2 weeks of prednisolone 10 mg daily (n =39), and (2)acupuncture administered in 8 sessions over 4 weeks (n=38). A validated standard questionnaire as a subjective measurement was used to rate the 5 major symptoms (pain, numbness, paresthesia,weakness/clumsiness, and nocturnal awakening) on a scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 10 (very severe). The total score in each of the 5 categories was termed the global symptom score (GSS). Patients completed standard questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks later. The changes in GSS were analyzed to evaluate the statistical significance. NCS were performed at baseline and repeated at the end of the study to assess improvement. All main analyses used intent-to-treat.

Conditions

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Acupuncture	acupuncture administered in 8 sessions over 4 weeks
DRUG	Prednisolone	2 weeks of prednisolone 20 mg daily followed by 2 weeks of prednisolone 10 mg daily

Timeline

• Start date: 2007-07-01
• Primary completion: 2009-02-01
• Completion: 2009-09-01
• First posted: 2009-11-16
• Last updated: 2009-11-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan